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| August, 2008, but it looks like this all the time
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Thursday, September 16
Israel Winter Baseball
ltr: Chanoch Goldberg, Mel Levi, Zachi Zach, Ruby Schechter, Lior Faingold, Erik Snyder, Eran Kedar, Jon Sredni, Chaim Katz.
kneeling: Zeev Brodsky, Joel Brodsky, Jonah Pressman, Dave Gotman, Nissim Yechezkel, Abie Junger, Ian Tick
Israel Winter Baseball
(was: Raanana Softball Duffer League)
2010-2012 Seasons
An organization of adult pick-up softball players from the central region of Israel. Everyone is welcome.
The Raanana Softball Duffer League has morphed into the "Israel Winter Baseball" group, which doesn' t only play in winter, but is in Israel. The IWB group plays at the Yarkon Sports Facility (aka Baptist Village), which has an excellent, world-class softball field, with lights. We rent the field, and as such, each player brings 30 shekels per game. We no longer play in the Raanana field.
Organized by: Shmuel Goldstein, and Barry Spielman, who have inherited the game from Chip Moss, Mel Levi, Jon Sredni, and occasionally Ian Tick,
Game time: Sundays, Year-round, starting at 6:30 PM, except if there is a fast day or holiday, in which case we play on that Monday.
Personnnel: We play if there are enough players, and if the field is in playing condition (we are rarely rained out, but it can happen any time between November and March). Minimum number of players: 14, maximum 22. If we have more than 22, they are put on a wait-list. If we have at least 32, we can rent a second field. Sign-ups start Monday morning at 9AM via the Yahoo group: Israelwinterbaseball. Join the group and send a message "I'm in for the next game", and you will be put on the list. People can, and sometimes do cancel, so it's worth it to be on the wait-list. Younger players (below 24 y/o) are automatically wait-listed.
Game length: However many innings we can get in, up to 9, and we quite often get there.
Game rules: Slowpitch softball, not too much of an arc, 60 ft baseline. Foul ball on two strikes is NOT out. No bunting or stealing, but if someone does that, we just yell at him, and have him do it over, he's not out, or anything dumb like that. Sheesh.
Infield fly is used, as is tagging up.
We only call balls and strikes if there are at least 16 players total, and this usually happens. Oh, we call 5 balls, 3 strikes. Gives the pitchers a bit more of a chance, and reduces the amount of walks a bit. If there are 14 players, the batting team pitches to itself, and we do not call balls and strikes.
Umpires: Batting team supplies an umpire. This can, and does, change during the course of the inning.
Interesting rules: If the game really should be over, we quite often let the trailing team have another three outs (any baserunners are removed). If that team actually goes ahead during this "garbage time", then the original leading team gets another three outs. If not, not. In this manner, we play more.
Click the "Games" link for a list of games, times, and Mel Levi's or Jon Sredni's or Barry's famous game recaps.
Click the "Locations" link for directions and a map to the field.
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àéøâåï ùì ùç÷ðé ñåôèáåì ìëéó (áåâøéí) áàéæåø øòððä åäñáéáéä, àáì ëì îáåâø îåæîï, âéì îéðéîåí: 15 - æä ìà îúàéí ìéìãéí.
àúä ìà çééá ìãòú àéê ìùç÷, àáì àúä çééá ìäéåú îåëï ììîåã îäø îùåí ùæä ìà àéøâåï ììîéãä.
àéê ìäâéò ìîâøù? ú÷ìé÷å òì Locations áöã ùîàì
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In the photo below, ltr: Chezki Ackerman, Yair and Philip Libman, Rafi Gelber, Roni Katz, Assaf Gelber, Maor, David Marcus, Natan Mandel.
kneeling: Shmuel Goldstein, Jon Duker, Eli Cohen, David Held
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August, 2008
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Thursday, September 16
Every Week, All Year
We are playing every week folks, and too busy to update this site too much.
Sign-up at the Yahoo! group: IsraelWinterBaseball
Into 2011, 2012, 2013, and beyond, we are playing ball *every* week, weather permitting.
There is no group in Israel that plays baseball/softball more than we do. If you are a player, this is the place to be, so sign up now!!
- Shmuel Goldstein
Sunday, February 4
Happy Birthday, Mel
Our co-organizer, Mel Levi, hit the big 6-0 this Tuesday, Feb 6. So, his son, Itzik, decides to organize a Friday game during the Duffer off-season. This game was a huge success, except for the fact that Mel's team lost. We play for fun, right guys?
See the games link for a re-cap, but click on the link below to see a video. Eli is batting, Ruby is pitching. As you can see, Eli hits into a fielder's choice, but the guys are saying "safe, safe". Look closely, and you'll see the runner was out. And so the umpire called it (he was also the cameraman).
 Eli's Hit
Here is Mel with his Seeeegar:
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Shmuel hits, Haim catches
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Monday, February 27
2008 Season
Meni nabs a fly ball to short center field on September 5, 2004.
Photo thanks to Sinai Levi.
Triple Play
A recent game featured this:
TRIPLE PLAY - the game ended is surreal fashion as the Chipster's had
the bases loaded and nobody out and had their #10 hitter up. The batter
popped the ball up which Yehuda caught, but 2 players were caught off
base (not knowing what to do on an infield fly) and a TRIPLE PLAY was
recorded, ending the inning and the game.
For more details, click on the Games link for April 17, 2005.
Some Great Plays
Yehuda Mesilati makes a great catch in left field, June 5, 2005
MMs Down Chipster's in Soggy Sunday Softball 2005 Opener
Mother Nature was not smiling on the Sunday Softballers in Raanana today, April 3, 2005, as they opened their 2005 season under dark skies and scattered showers. 14 brave souls showed up for the first game of the season (which was an impressive number given the weather connditions).
Chip and Mel chose up sides and the teams seemed to be evenly matched for the first couple of innings with Mel's Men holding small leads of 2-1 then 4-1 early on.
But then, in the top of the 2nd inning with Sinai at bat and Meni on 1st the rains came! A sudden downpour sent all the players to the shelter of the dugout where they huddled for quite a while until the rain stopped.
Finally play resumed and Mel's Men took advantage of the Chipster's lack of defense and the slippery field to build a big lead. The Chipster's were given extra at bats at the end, but they could not catch Mel's Men and the final score was Mel's Men 11 - Chipster's 4 - in 5 innings.
There were some noteworthy plays on both sides but it was Sinai Levi in Centerfield who made some good plays defensively while others did well offensively.
Next week we hope for better weather and an even better turnout! Warm-ups start at 5pm and the game will start at 5:30pm. Any further questions can be directed to Chip at chip@opcom.co.il
See you next Sunday!
Yonatan Sredni
0544-964-392
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Commissioners Mel and Chip
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Hit the ball, guys
Mel and Hanoch
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| David Sommer, with Manny in the background
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We play throughout August, folks
We don't stop for nothing. Kassam rockets, Bobby Bonds' passing, Clemens' 300 games, new economic plans, nothing.
We see here David Sommer pitching, with Manny in the background (photo above), and Shmuel Goldstein hitting (photo below). Thanks to David Aron for the pix.
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Shmuel Goldstein hits
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How many outs are there, anyway?
Left to right: Chip, Mel, Amnon (junior), David Kaplan, and Jon Sredni's back
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Welcome 
